DYLAN The Fundraising Rescue Cat

This is what Dylan says about himself on his Facebook page which is called:

‘Dylan Celebrity Puss’

‘I am a rescue cat from Ark on the Edge Animal Sanctuary, feline fundraiser and a totally chilled out individual. And am known to do visits to local care homes etc. I live with seven other cats and a dedicated loving housekeeper’

Dylan was adopted by Chris, one of the trustees of the Sanctuary. He is profoundly deaf but a friendlier cat you could never wish to meet.

Post by Ruth aka Kattaddorra

He was at Wilson’s Veterinary Group birthday celebrations and was the star of the show. Doreen and Kathryn on the Kays Hill stall pointed him out to us as their table was between our CP table and the Ark on the Edge table. Dylan was tucked in the corner sitting happily amongst the Ark volunteers there fund raising.

Of course Babz and I just had to take turns to go and meet him and hear his story and stroke him. He was on a harness held by Chris and quite happy to be the centre of attention, he is absolutely adorable, chunky and silky soft. He even rolled over and let me tickle his tummy.

Later in the afternoon Chris walked him amongst quite a lot of people, he was rubbing around legs and butting people’s hands, wonderful with the children there too. I have never seen such a laid back cat in my life!

Poster by Ruth aka Kattaddorra

I asked Chris for her permission to take some photos for PoC, she had seen links to this site on Marion’s page and has never got around to visiting but she said she will come along if I send her this link and will tell us more about her remarkable and beautiful cat.

Walter and Jozef were not impressed when we told them some cats actually do like being on a harness, they said ‘Ladies, If you like having skin you won’t ever be trying it on us’ Lol

Please comment here using either Facebook or WordPress (when available).

Hi, I am 70-years-of-age at 2019. For 14 years before I retired at 57, I worked as a solicitor in general law specialising in family law. Before that I worked in a number of different jobs including professional photography. I have a longstanding girlfriend, Michelle. We like to walk in Richmond Park which is near my home because I love nature and the landscape (as well as cats and all animals).

Dylan’s FB page has now has 82 likes, and just recently at a fundraising event 5 people came and asked where he was. I explained he was having a rest and he would be out and about with us again soon.
Meanwhile our feline celebrity, is among the contenders for Hills Pet of the Month. Here,he is reading up on Hills Food before his weight check at the vets.

I love your comment, Chris. Thanks for the update. I am very pleased that Dylan is becoming a bit of a celebrity. He represents all normal, non-pedigree (freeborn) cats and that is so much better than the hype surrounding cats like Grumpy Cat who has skeletal deformity.

Well folks, here we are with the latest update on Dylan. Since his appearance at Pets at Home he has been concerntrating on his diet and being a bit of a water merchant,(who attempts to share the shower with me)he has now started an exercise in water routine every couple of days.He really enjoys it, even limbering up beforehand.

Wesley is roughly about 3 yrs old. He came directly to me from a lady who Ark on the Edge were helping to rehome a number cats. Due to a house move two to three months back. This handsome boy was originally found lying in the sun,on the white lines in the middle of a busy road near Durham with traffic hurtling past either side of him. He was uninjured when picked up, he was one very lucky cat.
A couple of days back, i thought i would try him with a harness, He didn’t take to the typre of harness dylan has, but as you can see the normal cat harness he was comfortable with. we will keep you posted with his progress and let you all know when he makes his first public appearence.

Dylan says: My PR assistant, has been seeing how one of my housemates Wesley will take to a harness. He is also Deaf like me but seems to prefer the normal cat harness unlike myself. Here he seems pretty comfortable. Not sure if we’ll be a double act though.

Hello everyone, I thought i would let you have some more information about Dylan.
His reputation seems to have grown somewhat.
Dylan was 2yrs old when he came to the Ark,after being found at the roadside. His balance was not very good and he had no strength to jump. He had to scramble up to get on your lap or a chair. But with plenty of TLC his confidence grew. I originally had no intention of putting Dylan or any of my other cats on a harness, but a couple of years ago, when i was running a photography group for Leonard Cheshire Disability, i decided to take him along as a model for the group. A cat harness was bought. He was not happy with it at all, he hated the neck piece. So, out i went and bought a small dog harness. What a revalation, he loved it. Of course, the modelling session turned into a pet therapy session.And he went along a couple of more times with me.
Moving on, and i took him along to Tesco when we did some promotion and fundraising, nothing bothered him at all, people were coming and going with their trollys piled high, and he didn’t even flinch. They were stopping and doing a double take. Some had even gone in store and come out with treats for him. things just progressed on from there.He has also featured in Cat World Magazine,in the last couple of years, and got plenty of press when he started his sponsored diet. He is nearing his target weight, and he has managed to raise £100 so far.
As for his appearance at Wilson vets on Monday, he was not meant to be there. But i had a call from the Teesdale Mercury wanting an update. So i asked them to come along. They did what they wanted and left, the piece is due in next wednesday’s paper. On Saturday, Dylan will be at the Pets at Home Store promoting the stores free weight checks. My ark colleagues will be there fundraising to.
Dylan is of course one very special cat and lives with 6 other cats all rescue cats, and would you believe it, another deaf cat Wesley. Will i end up with a double act? Who knows!

Thanks Chris for the extra info about Dylan. Very interesting. I enjoyed reading your comment. Any future comments you make will be automatically published.

I like the bit about Dylan accepting the dog harness but not the cat harness. That might be a little nugget of information that benefits other cats.

As Ruth knows I like the idea of a cat wearing a harness and leash (not always but when appropriate) because it adds an extra dimension to a cat’s life which provides mental stimulation.

Many places are unsafe for cats if they are roaming. Harness and leash solves that. It guess it needs patience though.

Do you think his deafness makes him calmer? It seems that way. I also like to see cats integrated like this into human society. Doing things that benefit people other than the cat’s caretaker. It is good for cats generally too. Good publicity. It educates. Great work and well done.

Thanks Michael,
Regards your question about deafness making him calmer. I think it does, and when you put his harness on he knows he’s working so to speak. A bit like a guide dog. he is of course an indoor cat, and he does have another deaf cat for company in Wesley. Who has been with us for three months now, and he his so calm as well. Dylan is 5yrs old and wesley is about 3yers old. Dylan was approx 3yrs old when i tried him with a harness. The only time he wears it, is when he”s out doing apperances. I will be trying Wesley with a harness soon. So i could end up with a double act.

Thanks for coming along Chris and telling us more about the gorgeous Dylan. It was lovely meeting you both and the other Ark volunteers too, I hope you did as well as we did for our Cats Protection branch as I’m sure your rescue is as desperate for funds as CP and Kays Hill are.
Babz and I keep meaning to have a trip out to the Ark as we haven’t been there, maybe our next holidays we’ll do that, we like to support as many local rescues as we can manage.
I love the big picture you have posted.
x

it is a pleasure to join you Ruth. And it would be nice to see you and babz visit the Ark sometime.
If you get chance on Saturday, pop along to Pets at Home and see Dylan in action again. He’d love to see you.
I love the pics you took of him when he did his walkabout. i of course just followed like the dutiful PR Assistant should do x

We would have loved to see you at Pets at Home and most Saturdays we do go down to Bishop Auckland shopping and we drive that way but tomorrow we are grounded as a BT engineer is coming to fix up better internet for us, we’ve had such problems.
Please do keep us posted via PoC about Dylan and how Wesley takes (or doesn’t take lol) to a harness.
I think it’s amazing that Dylan did at 3 years old but then he really is an amazing cat altogether bless him x

We’ve talked about the Ark a few times but never have got around to visiting, we’d love to come, we like the look of the nature trail as well, next time I have some holiday if the weather is still good we might get up to see you. Shame we’re stuck in tomorrow (we live together Ruth and I)would have loved to see Dylan in action again.

Hi Chris I’m fascinated with Dylan so thank you for telling us more about him.
How old is he do you think?
Will you teach Wesley to walk on a harness as well?I imagine they would attract even more attention fund raising as a double act.
PoC do get some very interesting people and their cats and I love reading it all.

Hi Rose,
Dylan is now 5yrs old i have had him since he was 2yrs old H ewas introduced to a harness at 3 yrs old. wesley, is around two and a half years oldand i will be trying him with a harness soon. So we’ll see how we go. I will of course keep everyone posted.x

Thanks Chris oh I do hope you will keep coming back with news and photos of Dylan and I’d love to hear how Wesley goes on too.
I so much enjoy rescue stories from Sanctuary people and if ever I get any money I will send you some for Ark on the Ledge along with Marion’s CP and KaysHill too.
I think it’s great that our rescues appreciate donations so much and show it by coming back with news and photos.
Why don’t the Americans Micheal helps do that?

He is so adorable and so relaxed with everyone he clearly is enjoying himself a lot! I normally wouldn’t like to see this a cat being among so many people but some cats are cut out for it and Dylan is definitely one of those cats! What a beautiful boy!! Thanks for sharing Ruth!

They told me he was a rescue cat that no-one wanted until Chris took him, I suppose it’s the old black and white cats aren’t popular thing again, I said I bet plenty of people want him now seeing him like this and the answer was – Oh yes! How many cats that get left behind have the potential to become such characters as Dylan given plenty of love and care. He’s such a lovely cat, friendly with everyone, even though I knew he was deaf I just couldn’t stop telling him how gorgeous he is.

What a beauty Dylan is and I’d love to pick his furry body up and kiss him.
I don’t like harnesses on cats either it wouldn’t suit every cat but he does look happy on his and so brave among people as well.I wonder if being deaf makes him not worry about people?
Yes Micheal I think you’d have to start training a kitten usually but it sounds like Dylan wasn’t a kitten when Chris got him.
He must be one exceptional cat.

I could write a book about this! For me, it is so good in so many ways. Dylan gets out and about and is stimulated. He entertains people. He raises money for cat charities. He is loved. We can celebrate him and publicise him because it is all for a good cause and no one loses.

I believe that cats can be trained to like being on a leash. This should be done when a kitten. Then they can explore the outside world safely in places where it would otherwise be unsafe.

Obviously if it is safe outside then a leash is redundant.

It is about that all important cat requirement that is often not provided for many good reasons: mental stimulation.

Dylan must have got lots of it. He is clearly used to being around people and outside on his leash. I love it.

Google Analytics: 168/195 countries

Below is a button for subscribing

You can subscribe to posts using the button below and unsubscribe. You’ll receive one email per day and a list of links to the articles written in the past 24 hours. Please refresh the page if the buttons don’t show 😉